


A Red Scarf

by Celtrist



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Babybones (Undertale), Big Brother Sans (Undertale), Fluff, Gen, Not Beta Read, Self-Indulgent, Younger Brother Papyrus (Undertale), probably, should probably start tagging that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-21 08:56:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21072263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celtrist/pseuds/Celtrist
Summary: Something about it. He wasn't sure why he grew this odd attachment for it, but he did. And he didn't mind it. He just wished his brother would humor him with it.





	A Red Scarf

**Author's Note:**

> WOW. ANOTHER ONE? I should get a medal or something. Okay, but I actually have a longer story going on, but I wanted to do this because I'm in the middle of describing a house... not my forte needless to say. Nor fun. So I thought about a nice break.  
Also, keep in mind I made Sans' age fairly ambiguous just so others could sorta imagine themselves how much older he is from Papyrus. Also, sorry if you're not a fan of the big bro Sans and little bro Pap thing. Obviously it's in this story (tags my dudes), and I'll admit that probably most of my stories will have Sans at the very least suggested or implied as older. If anything, it just won't be mentioned and you can imagine at your own content. I know, weird apology, but just thought I would since I get some people either like Paps older, twins, or barely older than the other. I obviously have a preference for Sans to be fairly older by 8 or 10 years. Or something. I dunno, I'm rambling, just read the story. Please. Or I'll never stop talking.
> 
> What are you doing still reading this? HURRY. BEFORE I CONTINUE TALKING.

He didn’t know where it came from. He definitely knew his brother didn’t either considering he was just an infant, but he didn’t know himself. It didn’t much matter, Sans placed it with the past he couldn’t very well remember since he woke up to his brother’s screaming. The crimson fabric did hold a pretty color, and it made it easier to carrying Papyrus around. And it kept his brother warm, so he didn’t have any reason to get rid of it. The times he did take Papyrus out of it, it untangled to be either a wide scarf or long blanket.

Sans just began liking it out of the pure fact it reminded him of Papyrus. It helped kept his brother warm, it made it easy to spot where his brother was if he left him somewhere, and it was nice to feel. Soft. So Sans can’t really complain.

“papyrus, hold still!” Papyrus turned his head away, swatting at Sans’ hands as he tried to put it on him.

He didn’t get why his brother was so determined to just never wear it. Like it would suffocate him if he did. Maybe it was just the fact that Papyrus was still a really little kid at the age of three and wanted to make things difficult. Sans just wanted to keep him warm like always.

“NO SCARF!” His brother hissed, snatching the fabric and tossing it to the wet ground of waterfall.

“papyrus!” The older skeleton scolded as he picked up the fabric to try again. “would you quit that? it’s gonna keep you warm!” Papyrus quickly tugged the scarf down by its middle in retaliation. Not wanting to keep the fight going, Sans gave in. “fine.” He wrapped the scarf around his own neck, relishing in the warmth it still had. “don’t get mad if you start freezing.”

Halfway to their way to their destination, Papyrus sneezed and said he was tired. Sans made no hesitation of wrapping the scarf around his brother and picking him up, the younger falling asleep before they even got where they needed to be.

It was just because it reminded him of his brother now. It reminded him of how it gave Papyrus a snug comfort when he was a baby. It reminded him how it kept his brother warm on his first day of school--not home school, actual school that his brother had been dying to go in. But his brother never seemed to learn of its significance.

“WHY DO YOU KEEP MAKING ME WEAR THIS?” Papyrus asked as Sans was helping him get bundled up for school. It was nice to have a home now, and easier to deal with when it came to getting Papyrus to school. As well just getting a little more comfort than sleeping on rough ground.

Sans smiled tugging his cap down and adjusting the scarf again, swatting Papyrus’ hands when it looked like they were trying to take it off. Just seeing him with it made his soul hop. Maybe nostalgic over the bright red going with Papyrus’ bones? Or just that it seemed nice to have one common thing.

“it keeps you warm. it’s a good scarf.” he answered. He could tell his brother all he wants about how he essentially came with the fabric, but he got the idea that Papyrus wouldn’t really care all too much. “plus, i’m not really making you wear it bro. you can take it off if you want.” he notes as he tucks in the scarf more, surely suffocating his brother as the younger had prophesied.

“THEN WHY DO YOU KEEP PUTTING IT ON ME?”

“cuz it keeps you warm.”

“BUT I COULD GET A COOLER SCARF INSTEAD.”

“oh yeah?”

“YES! ONE WITH FLAMES ON IT!”

“flames, huh?”

“YES!”

Sans chuckled at his younger brother’s argument and stood up to hold his hand. “c’mon you dork, i can walk you to school today.”

“BUT--!”

“knowledge doesn’t stop for anybody bro.”

Sans tugged his brother along, who only scowled up at him.

He wasn’t sure why he felt so surprised to see “a new scarf” on the Gyftmas list. One “cooler than that stupid red one” apparently. Sans was going to go to the store and get a scarf. He swore he was but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Papyrus tattered it. On purpose of course. It was the excuse to stop wearing it. But when he could, Sans would sew it back together as good as new. And Papyrus would begrudgingly back on. It was still big on him and with his brother catching up in height, it helped Sans be reminded who was younger. Aside from the death stare he’d give, Sans loved seeing Papyrus’ face snugged into the scarf. He was just afraid that he’d ruin it beyond repair someday.

Luckily, Sans got home early that day.

“hey paps, i brought home some grill--” Sans paused with his gaze focused on his brother.

There, in the middle of the room, Papyrus sat with a pair of scissors on hand and the scarf tattered. They both stared at each other for moments before Sans got out of his stupor and went straight to Papyrus, snatching the scarf from his hands.

“papyrus!” Sans voice carried anger, and Papyrus had to of known with a flinch. Sans mumbled to himself looking over the fabric hastily. Papyrus sat in silence, the scissors now to the floor with the young skeleton himself keeping his gaze down. “papyrus...” Sans tone demanded attention, but the younger skeleton couldn’t bring himself to look. “papyrus. look at me right now.”

“... DO I HAVE--”

“yes.” Papyrus shyly looked up, not up for seeing his brother’s fury. It only happened once in a blue moon, especially if it was directed to Papyrus himself, but it was never a fun experience. With his sockets on him, Sans asked, “what were you doing?”

“UM…” Papyrus was fumbling with his hands looking to the side anxiously. “I WAS… I WAS… UH…”

“don’t even try lying papyrus.” Sans warned, already seeing what he was doing. “that is definitely not gonna help you right now.” His soul seized when tears began forming in the younger’s sockets, but Sans stood his ground trying not to cradle him and apologize.

“... I was cutting it…” Papyrus mumbled, his gaze shifting from guilt to slight irritation.

“what?”

“I said I was cutting it…”

“speak up.”

“I SAID I WAS CUTTING THE STUPID SCARF!” Papyrus shouted, elevating to his knees before falling back down, looking away with his arms crossed and narrowed sockets crying.

“and why were you cutting it?!” Sans asked, his voice getting louder to match his brother’s previous outburst.

Papyrus turned towards him shouting back, “BECAUSE I CAN!”

“no! no you can’t!” Sans shouted back clutching the red fabric. “you can’t just cut your things apart!”

“WHY NOT?! IT’S _ MY _ STUFF!”

“that doesn’t mean you can ruin it!”

“IT’S A DUMB SCARF ANYWAYS! WHO CARES?!”

“who--!” Sans looked away clutching the fabric to his sockets groaning, before turning back to Papyrus who was now standing with fists at his side. “why do you hate it so much?!”

“WHY DO YOU LIKE IT SO MUCH?!” Papyrus countered. “WHY DON’T YOU HAVE IT IF YOU LIKE IT SO MUCH?!”

“it’s yours!”

“WELL I DON’T WANT IT! IT’S STUPID!”

“why do you think it’s so stupid?!”

“BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE SAYS THAT!”

Sans takes a double take. Looking at Papyrus before realizing how much his brother was sobbing. Was he crying so much when all that was going on?

“I-IT’S-- IT’S STUPID BECAUSE EVERY-- EVERYONE ELSE AT SCHOOL SAYS IT IS.” he continued. “IT’S SUFFOCATING TO WEAR, AND I ALWAYS TRIPPED ON IT WHEN I WAS SMALLER, AND-- AND IT FEELS LIKE IT WAS ALWAYS TOO HEAVY ON MY SHOULDERS, AND O-OTHER-- OTHER KIDS SAY IT’S FOR BABIES AND SO THAT MEANT I’M A BABY TOO, A-AND-- AND I’M NOT-- NOT A BABY B-BUT- BUT YOU KEEP M-M-MAKING ME- MAKING ME WEAR IT AND-- AND--”

“hey, hey, calm down, take a breath.” Sans knelt down, pushing Papyrus by the shoulders to also kneel on the floor before he just collapsed into Sans’ chest sobbing. Sans stroked the back of his skull shushing him as he heard the hiccups, feeling the tears getting on his shirt. “shh, calm down. breathe. just breathe.”

Sans kept with the cooing until Papyrus settled down, the session feeling as though it gone for hours. By this point, Sans was no longer kneeling and just sitting on the floor.

Once Papyrus picked up his skull away from Sans, the older brother’s hand went to his face wiping away some lingering tears. “you okay to talk now?” he asked softly.

Papyrus sniffed, a scowl present on his face. “... I don’t wanna wear it…”

“you made that loud and clear bro.” He didn’t mean to have been forcing the scarf onto his younger brother liked that. He thought Papyrus would grow to appreciate it over time, but it seemed to have fueled his hate even more. “so kids been sayin’ it’s stupid?” Papyrus nodded. “and that it’s for babies?” Another nod. Someone must’ve known it was a baby blanket, either that or kids were just cruel. Could totally be one or the other. “... alright… alright pappy. hear ya loud and clear…” Sans sighed. “i’m sorry pap. i didn’t… i didn’t mean to make you wear it when you hated it that much. surprised you didn’t just leave it on the ground somewhere honestly…”

“I HAVE BEFORE.” Papyrus said. “THEN YOU WENT OUT LOOKING FOR IT.”

“oh, right, heh…”

“... SANS?”

“hm?”

“WHY DO YOU LIKE ME WEARING IT SO MUCH?”

Sans gritted his teeth, unsure how to approach this. “it’s just… i don’t exactly know honestly.” he admitted. “just to have somethin’ constant?”

“WHAT’S THAT MEAN?”

Sans took a deep breath rubbing his brother’s arm. “just that you haven’t changed i guess.” he said. “that you’re still the baby i took care of.”

Papyrus pouted retaliating, “I’M NOT A BABY!”

Sans chuckled, rubbing the top of his head saying, “i know.” He didn’t want to admit it, but Papyrus has definitely been growing up. And it felt like he was getting older by the day. He just wanted his baby brother to stay just that, a baby. “... i’ll go ahead and take this then, kay?” Sans lifted up the scarf to emphasize. “you don’t have to wear it anymore if you really don’t want to. just don’t do it ‘cuz other monsters don’t like it.” Papyrus nodded. “so you’re sure you don’t want it?”

Another nod. “POSITIVE!”

Sans took a moment to stare, clutching the fabric tightly subconsciously before giving a final sigh. “... alright. i’ll keep it case you change your mind, alright?”

“I WON’T!” Papyrus chirped, causing Sans to flinch by his positivity.

The rest of the evening his brother was as happy ever, freed from what he considered a burden. Sans kept it in his pocket. Then he went to bed hugging it. Then he started wearing it. At some point, the scarf found a place in Sans’ room to gather dust in.

“cool design bro.” Sans said coolly.

His now significantly taller younger brother looked delighted. “I KNOW! THIS IS SUCH A GOOD DESIGN! BUT HOW COULDN’T IT BE IF I DESIGNED IT?” Plus got heavily inspired via the references he used.

Sans looked down at the paper in his hand with a soft smile. “yeah bro, dunno how it couldn’t.” It only took a solid minute before his brother’s roll in ecstasy was lost. Sans looked up quizzically asking, “somethin’ wrong bro?”

Papyrus played with the sleeves of his nice orange colored sweater, not one of Papyrus’ preferred clothes but he wore it.

“WELL,” he began, “AS GREAT OF A DESIGNER I MAY BE, I COULDN’T QUITE THINK WHAT WOULD MAKE IT BETTER.”

“make it better?”

“Y-YOU KNOW!” Papyrus rolled his wrist trying to come up with the words. “JUST… JUST SOMETHING THAT BRINGS THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER! LIKE A HAT… OR HIGHER BOOTS… SOMETHING TO BRING OUT MY EYES!”

Sans chuckled at the last bit, nodding away. “yeah, kay. so what about you look around for inspiration in the house?”

“AH. TO LAZY TO PHYSICALLY HELP I SEE.”

Sans shrugged with a wink, “you know me, more into _ physics_cal fitness that physical.” It took a moment before Papyrus narrowed his sockets.

“SPARE ME FROM YOUR HORRIBLE PUNS.”

“nah. goes with the trom_bone _.”

“THAT WASN’T EVEN A PUN! YOU JUST SAID THE NAME OF THE INSTRUMENT AND EMPHASIZED THE LAST PART!” Papyrus complained. “YOU SHOULDN’T START GETTING LAZY WITH ONE OF THE FEW THINGS YOU PUT WORK INTO BROTHER.”

“you saying i need to work on my jokes?”

“SEVERELY.” Sans laughed at the remark, grinning widely. “NOW IF YOU’RE NOT GOING TO HELP ME, I’LL JUST TRY AND THINK SOMETHING UP MYSELF!” Papyrus began heading up the stairs with Sans’ smile fell hearing the tone. Papyrus sounded as aggravated as he usually did with Sans’ laziness, but there was a hint of despair in there.

Feeling guilt for not helping, Sans shrugged. “guess i could see if anything’s in my room.” he said following.

Papyrus looked back scoffing. “NOW WHAT COULD POSSIBLY IN YOUR ROOM WOULD GO WITH MY BATTLE BODY?” Already Papyrus has taken from calling it just a costume to armor.

Sans shrugged passing. “dunno. bunch of random junk in there.”

“UGH, JUST DON’T BRING ME SOMETHING THAT SMELLS.” Papyrus groaned heading to his own room.

Sans snickered entering his own little sanctuary. It was as messy as usual with the trash tornado and all. Sans lazily kicked around trash looking, with his hands in his pockets.

“let’s see… somethin’ to wear, somethin’ to wear… and not smell.”

Sans randomly went around before digging through drawers he’s barely touched. It had plenty of books concerning science things--as Sans was sure that was the technical term for all things science. There was physics… chemistry… dimension and time relativity that he’s sure he would never have to deal with or be concerned with in real life…

Sans paused in his search when his eyelights caught sight of a color. A bright crimson.

Nostalgia came up seeing the stitching as Sans dug out all the books that was left until he could take it out.

“holy crap, i totally forgot about this.” Funny considering how distraught he remembered being when Papyrus no longer wore it. Did his brother even remember this thing? He was what? Six? Eight? Definitely not double digits.

Sans ran his phalanges against the stitching, taking a breath at the familiarity of its soft surface. Sans hummed, observing it to see the damage from the past. Nothing terribly tattered, but still beaten up looking. Sans looked back to his door thinking. It’d be pretty nice seeing his brother wear it again…

Nostalgia won out as Sans walked out to get to Papyrus’ door and knock. After the code to come in was allowed, Sans froze at how Papyrus looked studious in the middle of the room. Like he was contemplating life itself in a thousand different aspects… but he was just trying to figure out fashion.

“hey pap, can you do me a favor?”

“WHAT? SANS, DON’T TELL ME YOU GAVE UP ALREADY!” Papyrus looked over, and Sans quickly hid the red fabric behind his back. “OR CAN YOU JUST NOT REACH SOMETHING?”

Sans chuckled shaking his head. “nah. just need you to close them peepers for a sec.”

“... THIS BETTER NOT BE A PRANK SANS. NOT WHEN I’M IN SUCH DISTRESS!” he says when just a minute ago he probably got distracted with something. Well, not exactly that, but his attention span wasn’t always the best. But neither was Sans’ either considering he naps in the middle of conversations.

“nah, no pranks. just wanna see somethin’.”

“OH. ALRIGHT THEN!” Papyrus closed his sockets, being all too trusting as usual. Sans has tried to get that sort of “trust anybody” idea out of his skull, but it never seemed to work. Ah, Papyrus was just too sweet for that. Not an idiot to follow shadowy figures that call to him to follow, but certainly naive to a high degree.

Sans walked towards him and tugged for his brother to sit on his bed, which he did without fuss, and waved a hand in front of his face before pulling out the scarf. “alright…” Sans threw the scarf on Papyrus, wrapping it around to get it situated. Already Sans was feeling his soul beat in adoration. Finishing by flipping the left over part behind his brother, Sans stepped back grinning. “alright, you can open ‘em.”

Papyrus blinked, looking down before touching the scarf around his neck. “WHAT’S THIS?”

“a scarf? Sans asked, rocking on his heels looking to the side, not bothering to hide the giddy grin he wore.

“YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN SANS!” There was a second before Papyrus gave a sharp gasp.

Sans looked back over, curious if Papyrus would go on a rant as to why he never liked it and why he probably didn’t--

“THIS IS PERFECT!” Sans stopped his rocking and blinked, his face contorting to confusion.

“what?”

“SANS!” Papyrus got up to pick up his brother into a tight hug spinning them both around. “I DIDN’T THINK YOU HAD SOMETHING THAT WOULD GO THIS WELL WITH MY BATTLE BODY!” Papyrus stopped in place, but kept the hug going.

Sans blinked again, taking a moment to process. “i-- uh... huh?”

Papyrus held him out with an unamused look. “COME NOW BROTHER, DID YOU SERIOUSLY FORGET WHY YOU FOUND THIS?”

Oh. Right. Papyrus’ costume.

Papyrus brightened, beaming at his shorter brother declaring, “THIS WILL MAKE THE PERFECT ADDITION TO MY BATTLE BODY SANS! I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I THOUGHT YOU’D BE SLACKING OFF RATHER THAN HELPING STILL, SO IT’S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED! THOUGH YOU DID AGREE EARLIER TO MAKING IT, SO I SUPPOSE MAYBE ASKING FOR HELP TO DESIGNING WAS A LITTLE TOO MUCH…”

Sans didn’t move in his shock state until he relaxed with his arms reaching over to adjust his brother’s scarf. “nah.” he smiled. “it was worth finding.”

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm iffy on how this came out. I think someone could've done it way better, and I think this is probably more of just me pointing something out for people to think about. I really like the idea of the red scarf having significance, but someone pointed out about why Papyrus would wear something with such sentimental value with his costume (battle body but costume first), plus the fact he didn't always wear it (his date outfit). SO, I thought I'd just think up that it has sentimental value to Sans more than Papyrus. And I actually sorta grew to like the idea the scarf is sentimental but Paps isn't aware how it is, but y'know, doesn't much care to know or realize. Papyrus hating it when he was younger just helped to move the story along honestly, plus needed a reason for him to stop wearing it when he was younger I guess. I dunno, this story is messy and doesn't quite get the point across well (I think one of my poorer written stories in terms of plot), but whatever. Again, more for "hey, this is an idea" for people to take and maybe play around with.  
Also, starting to do double "-" to see how that looks. Saw some others doing it and thought maybe it'd help legibility? Feedback would be nice, but I'm guessing it doesn't much matter. I'll keep doing it though unless said otherwise to help those who might have an easier time reading now (particularly when it's just words strung together using "-").


End file.
